Advanced Biofuels SymposiumConference Report22-24 July 2015. Montreal.

CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 2

2. BIOFUELNET BACKGROUND AND EVOLUTION .................................................................. 4

3. HQP EVENTS .......................................................................................................................... 5

4. KEYNOTE ADDRESSES ......................................................................................................... 9

5. PLENARY SESSIONS ........................................................................................................... 11

6. BREAKOUT SESSIONS ........................................................................................................ 18

7. CLOSING REMARKS ............................................................................................................ 23

Report written by Gabrielle Bauer

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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On July 22 to 24, 2015, BioFuelNet convened its annual three-day Advanced Biofuels Symposium

(ABS 2015) at the Omni Hotel in Montreal, which drew over 300 researchers from all over Canada.

The 100% carbon-neutral event began with a day devoted to High Quality Personnel (HQP), the

young students and postdoctoral fellows who will carry Canada’s biofuels industry into the future.

The remaining two days of the meeting featured a mix of keynote addresses, plenary sessions,

and breakout sessions devoted to specific areas of the bioenergy value chain.

HQP events

Events for High Quality Personnel (HQPs) included:

Improv games, led by members of Montreal Improv, to foster more spontaneous, impactful

science communication

A workshop on writing about science for non-scientists

A workshop on pitching science ideas to business partners, granting agencies, or financial

backers

A competition in which judges assessed the quality of HQPs’ 5-minute presentations.

Keynote addresses

Jim Lane, Editor and Publisher, The Digest, CEO, Ascension Publishing

Lane challenged pervasive myths surrounding the bioeconomy, such as the idea that advanced biofuels are not commercially viable or that the gasoline market is disappearing. In Lane’s view, the real barriers to commercialization are capital requirements, unequal access to distribution channels, restrictive government policies, and a failure of imagination. Lane envisions the emergence of a “materials superhighway” to rival the information highway of today. Frank Des Rosiers, Assistant Deputy Minister, Innovation and energy technology, Natural

Resources Canada

Des Rosiers predicted that the next generation of fuels will be derived from non-traditional

feedstocks, produced with novel conversion technologies, and integrated with high-value

coproducts. He encouraged players in the advanced biofuels space to view the industry as a

complement, rather than a competitor, to the petroleum fuels industry.

Plenary sessions

The Advanced Biofuels Symposium (ABS) included several plenary talks by local, national, and

international presenters. Highlights of these sessions included:

Attendance highlights

Over 300 participants, including 40 international participants from 10 countries

90 participants (full capacity) on HQP day

Over 100 speakers

40 industry participants

Over 25 government representatives

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A 2015 public opinion survey revealed that 88% of Canadians would like to see more renewable fuel production in Canada and believe government should do more to promote renewable fuels.

Developers are encouraged to broaden their mindset beyond waste and residue as

sources of feedstock.

Wood pellets represent a primary development and investment opportunity.

The ABS included several plenary talks by local, national, and international presenters.

Highlights of these sessions included:

Israel launched an advanced biofuels program three years ago, with the goal of

reducing the share of oil in Israel’s transportation by 60% by 2015.

Sweden is ramping up biofuel production and making projections that extend as far as

the year 2050.

Abengoa Bioenergy has steadily shifted its focus toward second-generation

technologies and invested over $700 million in this portfolio.

Breakout sessions

The ABS included 19 breakout sessions that dealt with more focused aspects of BFN’s mandate.

High-level insights from these sessions included:

Opportunities

Biojet fuel applications can help Canadian farmers diversify their portfolios.

Greater synergies between industries could streamline processes and reduce costs.

Environmental performance improvement in the oil sands represents a major

opportunity in Canada.

Feedstock

Salvaged trees from boreal forests may help fuel the forestry and bioenergy

sectors.

Willow is a multifunctional crop that can be used to enhance growth of other crops.

Wood pulp can be used to produce nanocrystals with numerous applications.

Crop fuels should be prioritized as sources of biojet fuel, though research into other

sources is needed.

Conversion

An integrated biological biorefinery makes it possible to obtain and convert cheap

sugar from biomass into various biomaterials.

Defunct newsprint production sites could be converted into pretreatment mills.

Pyrolysis appears to be a practical and sustainable biorefinery platform.

Policy

Policies for advanced biofuels in Canada are necessary to jump-start the industry.

Policy tools can broaden market access for biojet fuel producers and reduce the

industry’s dependence on economic competitiveness with fossil fuels.

Research has shown that companies perceive policy risks as most important.

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2. BIOFUELNET BACKGROUND

AND EVOLUTION Established in 2012, BioFuelNet Canada (BFN) is a national network created to pave a sustainable

path toward the commercialization of advanced biofuels. By bringing together academic

researchers, industry professionals and government representatives, BFN helps create

opportunities and remove barriers in advanced biofuels development.

During its first phase of operation (April 2012 to March 2015), BFN established its structure and

created a community of researchers and partner organizations. To ensure a fair balance of funding

support across Canada, BFN integrated four research themes – feedstock, conversion, utilization,

and sustainability – with four regions of the country: West, Prairie, Central, and East.

The network has recently entered its second phase of operation (April 2015 to March 2017), which

takes the core structure a big step further by zeroing in on research areas and projects of greatest

importance to the Canadian biofuels industry. To this end, BFN has created a structure of 10

focused projects, each containing multiple “work packages” within a core research theme. Six task

forces will ensure the integration of multidisciplinary expertise across the R&D chain. The ultimate

aim is to catalyze high-impact collaborations that would not be possible without a central

organizing force.

Phase II Schematic

If continued funding carries BFN into its next five-year tenure (2017-22), priorities will include:

What major joint initiatives can we collectively undertake?

Where should our research focus lie?

What are government and industry priorities and how do we address these?

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3. HQP EVENTS

BioFuelNet developed this program of workshops and presentations to help HQPs communicate

their research findings more effectively in writing, orally and using social media. The program’s

objectives included:

Shedding inhibitions and embracing spontaneity

Understanding the “story” in science communication

Learning to connect with an audience

Sustaining audience interest

Introduction

Dr. Donald Smith, BFN’s Scientific Director, noted the importance of accurate, impactful scientific

communication to counter public misperceptions and misinformation. Annie Webb, BFN’s Manager

of Communications, presented a 4-minute video to illustrate the importance of science

communication and the potentially disastrous consequences of neglecting this responsibility

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBBL_DoDeRk).

Improv-ing science communication

A group of seven members of Montreal Improv, led by Mark Rowland, engaged participants in a

series of games designed to foster more spontaneous, impactful communication. Participants

broke out into three groups of about 30 individuals, each led by a team of two Montreal Improv

facilitators. As summarized below, facilitators clarified how the games might help break down

barriers in science communication.

Exercise Relevance to science communication

Ball-throwing

exercise

Thrower and recipient need to make eye contact

Physical movement creates a positive, relaxed atmosphere

Word association

exercise

Thinking on one’s feet

Vocal projection

Depicting a letter

of the alphabet

with the body

Removes inhibitions that get in the way of effective communication

Illustrates that “mistakes” are acceptable

Creates a vulnerability that invites empathy

No-but vs. yes-and

dialogue

Illustrates how to keep a conversation going

Demonstrates how to stay open to others’ opinions even if

disagreeing on specific points

Single-word story Highlights the importance of flexibility in communication

“What do you do?” Highlights the effectiveness of including a personal component when

communicating about one’s work

Jargon-free

descriptions

Forces the speaker to pare down technical explanations to their

essentials

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Participant feedback on the improv sessions included:

Body language should not be underestimated.

Be open.

When you talk to someone, move things forward.

Project your voice.

Sometimes I want to talk and talk – I need to practice listening.

Include your story to help listeners remember you.

Do something human.

“The foundation of everything we create in improv is ‘yes.’ To build stories together, we need to ‘accept all offers.’

Brent Skagford, Montreal Improv facilitator

BioFuelNet HQP at the improv workshop

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Writing about science Gabrielle Bauer, award-winning science writer

Ms. Bauer reviewed the principles of effective science writing. Key points in her presentation

included:

Create a story: A story has a chronology, characters, and conflict (challenges to overcome)

Address the why: A science article must address the work’s potential benefits to society

Keep it simple: Avoid jargon and keep technical explanations brief (high-level)

Use lively language: Vivid descriptions, analogies, active voice, varied sentence structure

Gabrielle Bauer presenting to HQP at the BioFuelNet workshop

Communicating science in business Drew Smylie, entrepreneurship professor, Centennial College School of Business

Prof. Smylie described proven strategies for pitching a scientific product or process to potential

business or financial partners. He led participants through exercises to reinforce the learning,

including two pitches of hypothetical products, a pitch to kindergarten students, and a mock “guest

expert” talk show. Key points in his presentation included:

A business pitch should incorporate several elements:

- Problem that needs to be solved

- How the product/process solves it

- Competitive advantages

- Target markets

Longer business proposals should include a business plan with financial projections.

Body language and eye contact can help communicate confidence.

HQP slide presentation contest

Michael Chae, program manager for Dr. David Bressler, moderated a slide presentation

contest for HQPs conducting research within the BFN Project 6 umbrella. Contestants had

to adhere to a strict 5-minute time limit. PhD students and postdoctoral students were

evaluated separately, with first and second-place prizes for each group. Judges included

Dominic Sauvageau, Pascale Champaigne, Lars Rehmann, and George Mahmourides.

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Presenter Affiliation Topic

Lisette Moreno

Garcia

McGill, UQTR Strategies toward profitability in biomass production

Benjamin Boens UQ Trois Rivières Conversion using hydrothermal liquefaction

Shijian Ge Queen’s U. Microalgae cultivation with waste water and flue gas

Dr. Roland Lee Queen’s U. Conversion of complex carbohydrates to biojet fuel

Valerie Orr Western U. Water-compatible process for microalgae extraction

Osariemen

Ogbeide

Western U. Extraction of coffee ground bio-oil using CO2

Zakir Hossain Western U. Processing biomass with SCH2O and nanocatalysts

Mehdi Omidghane U. of Alberta Renewable hydrocarbons from waste lipids and biosolids

Miyuru Kannangara

Polytechnique Montréal

Manipulating hydrodynamics to improve yield and

filterability of precipitated lignin

Maryam Haddad Polytechnique

Montréal, U. Laval

Extracting lignin from black liquor with BMED

acidification method

Ryan Yongsheng

Zhang

University of

Guelph

Optimization studies on coliquefaction of waste

activated sludge and woody biomass

Cheng Guo Western U. Development of catalyst using catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO)

John Albert

Obnamia

U. of Toronto Life cycle analysis of renewable alkanes

Prize winners:

PhD student, first prize: Jon Albert Obnamia, University of Toronto

PhD student, second prize: Valerie Orr, Western University

Postdoctoral student, first prize: Benjamin Boens, UQTR, and Roland Lee, Queen's

University (tied for first)

The prize winners with their prizes

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4. KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

Welcoming remarks Donald Smith, BFN Scientific Director, and Rose Goldstein, Vice-Principal, McGill University

Dr Smith affirmed BFN’s vision of creating an advanced biofuels industry in Canada, noting the challenges posed by the current oil prices, and affirmed BFN’s commitment to focus on collaborative initiatives. Ms. Goldstein explained McGill’s role as BFN’s host institution. She noted McGill’s increasing emphasis on collaborative work and expressed the hope that BFN would

continue to expand the reach of its courses and events.

Keynote address 1 Jim Lane, Editor and Publisher, The Digest (e.g. Biofuels Digest), CEO, Ascension Publishing Lane climate change, oil, and clean energy are grabbing headlines in the news media. According to Lane, myths and misperceptions pervade the public view of the bioeconomy, and he encouraged a more reasoned and nuanced discourse to dispel these myths.

Myth Considerations

Oil prices have crashed Oil prices today are higher than 10 years ago

The rise in the value of the US dollar is driving the so-

called “crash)

Advanced biofuels are at least

five years from commercial

viability

Commercial product is being created right now at the

world’s largest advanced biofuels facility in Kansas

Bio-feedstock is unaffordable The price per gallon of crude oil is $1.54, while the

price per gallon of biomass feedstock is $1.09

Ethanol RINs* are jacking up the

price of gas

Economists have not found a correlation between RIN

prices and gasoline prices

The gasoline market is

disappearing

Demand for gasoline is not in freefall

* Renewable Identification Numbers

Lane contrasted the real barriers to commercialization of advanced biofuels, such as capital

requirements, unequal access to distribution channels, and restrictive government policies, to

“frictions of inertia” that prevent transformation, such as:

“Don [Smith] has taught me that in biofuels research, there is no such thing as a crazy idea.

Rose Goldstein, Vice-Principal, McGill

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Distorted perception: myopia, hubris, denial, grooved thinking

Dulled motivation: direct costs of change, cannibalization costs, cross subsidy comforts

Failed creative response: reactive mindset, inadequate strategic vision

Political deadlocks: politics of self-interest, vested values

Action disconnects: capability gaps, leadership inaction, embedded routines

He identified aviation as an especially promising area of research, with many players investing in

the space, and also flagged renewable diesel, fuel blendstocks, and organic acids as key

opportunity categories.

Lane said he foresees the emergence of a “materials superhighway” to rival the “information

highway” that has burgeoned in communications. Strategies for addressing unequal access to

distribution (which favours conventional fuels) include making fuel compatible with existing

distribution networks and/or building alternative distribution networks.

Jim Lane giving a keynote address at the ABS

“It’s not enough to build the molecule. Build the network and you will change the world.

Jim Lane, CEO, Ascension Publishing

Hot targets in the advanced bioeconomy

Nanocellulose, hemp, photosynthetic improvement, electrofuels, artificial photosynthesis, fuel cell technologies, terpenes for aviation, novel diesel-range

molecules depolymerizing lignin, biomass liquefaction

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Keynote address 2 Frank Des Rosiers, Assistant Deputy Minister

Innovation and energy technology, Natural Resources Canada

Des Rosiers noted that global demand for first-generation biofuels is growing by 6.5% per year,

while the second-generation biofuels industry is still nascent. According to Des Rosiers, the next

generation of biofuels will be:

Derived from nontraditional renewable feedstocks

Produced with novel conversion technologies

Integrated with production of high value coproducts

Des Rosiers encouraged players in the advanced biofuels space to view the industry as a

complement, rather than a competitor, to the petroleum fuels industry. “A key priority for research

is finding optimal roles and niches for advanced biofuels, including the production of high-value

coproducts,” he said. While Des Rosiers predicted that Brazil will dominate international markets,

he maintained that Canada has several competitive advantages, such as feedstock, technology,

and supply chains to move woody biomass, that position the country to do well in the North

American market.

Frank Des Rosiers presenting at the ABS 2015

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5. PLENARY SESSIONS

Plenary session 1: International perspectives – biofuels

in a shifting energy landscape The Israeli Fuel Choices Initiative

Dr. Anat Bonschtien, Fuel Choices Initiative, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office

Israel’s advanced biofuels program was launched three years ago, with the aim of reducing the

share of oil in Israel’s transportation by 60% by 2015. To this end, the administration has created

an intergovernment team that “follows companies through to the pilot stage and helps them move

through the ‘death valley’ of startup companies,” Dr. Bonshtien said. Key funded research

initiatives include the use of solar energy to create cleaner and more renewable fuels, and the

development of new varieties of energy plants. The administration is also in the midst of

formulating a tax policy that facilitates growth in the clean energy sector.

Sweden’s knowledge centre for renewable transportation fuels

Ingrid Nyström, Senior Energy Consultant, CIT Industriell Energi AB

The Swedish knowledge centre for renewable transportation fuels, which Nystrom described as

“the Swedish version of BFN,” divides the bioenergy value chain into three buckets: resources,

production, and use. According to Nystrom, the addition of hydrogenated biodiesel to the biofuel

mix over the past three years has led to a 13% increase in total biofuel production. “We’re now

projecting as far ahead as 2050,” she said. “We have high ambitions going forward.”

Abengoa bioenergy: initiatives and investments

Chris Standlee, Executive Vice-President, Abengoa Bioenergy

Abengoa Bioenergy, a global bioethanol production company, has a strong focus on research, with

over 80 patents at various stages along the approval pathway and about 700 PhDs on staff.

Standlee reported on Abengoa’s key areas of clean energy investment, which include solar power,

water, and biofuels. Abengoa’s Kansas-based production site sits on 900 acres, with agricultural

residue the primary feedstock for the company’s waste-to-biofuel technology.

Over the last 7 to 9 years, Abengoa has steadily shifted its focus toward second-generation

technologies and invested over $700 million in this portfolio. The company first produced cellulosic

ethanol in 2007 and has since become a leader in this area, with a production of about 25 million

gallons per year. “Going forward, we want to diversify our end products,” Standlee said. “We don’t

want to be limited to sugar.”

“BFN gathers all likeminded people who want to make a positive change. I’m involved in research to make cellulose economically competitive. We save energy by recycling all the chemicals we use.

James Kong Win Ghang, ABS 2015 participant

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Q&A highlights

Presenters addressed audience questions in a panel discussion. Highlights appear below.

Q: Do you believe success of the biofuels industry is dependent on high-priced oil, or can it

compete even with volatile prices?

Standlee: I thought Jim [Lane] made a great case that oil isn’t as cheap as it seems. My answer is

that it depends. Cheap oil means it’s difficult for our competing fuels to make the same profit

margins we made a year ago. At the same time, cheap oil means people are driving more miles,

which means increased demand – generally a good thing when trying to sell product.

Bonshtien: We believe we have to incentivize new technologies at the penetration phase to help

them overcome oil price fluctuations. That’s why we launched our coinvestment program.

Des Rosiers: Oil prices are important signals, but electricity prices are more meaningful for long-

term decisions about [bioenergy] production, and those prices have trended to trend up.

Q: Bringing your own experience to bear, what role do you see for Canada in global

biofuels?

Des Rosiers: This past weekend we discussed opportunities for remote communities with forestry

ministers. There is a tremendous interest in seeing new technologies playing out in those regions.

First Communities are also looking for renewable alternatives. The biofuels industry in Canada

also has tremendous export potential.

Nyström: I think Canada could have important role in resources. In addition, you have the industry

infrastructure that you can build on and integrate with the forest industry. Resources on the

bioenergy side are a huge advantage.

Lane: I’d like to bring the discussion back to carbon. Canada was supposed to have a 6%

reduction in carbon emissions since the 1990 baseline, but instead has seen 24% increase. We

have to think about it and regulate it as though it were heroin. I encourage you all to consider what

the world will look like in 2050 and make decisions based on this long-range view.

The opening plenary panel at the ABS 2015

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Plenary session 2: Seizing the opportunity – Canada’s

potential advantage in supplying the biofuel sector

Bioenergy and wood Evelyne Thiffault, department of wood and forest science, Laval University Like many other observers of the clean energy scene, Thiffault maintains that global aims call for local solutions, particularly with respect to feedstock sourcing. “We need to broaden our mindset beyond waste and residue as sources of feedstock,” she said. When using forest biomass to producing heat, for example, “you can’t put just anything in a furnace – you need to have some quality. You also need to manage the wood so it doesn’t get dirty.”

According to Thiffault, integrated planning across industries and landscapes could help improve efficiencies across the value chain. As an example of collaboration between mining and forestry industries, she cited an Abitibi gold mine that has now turned to local forest cooperatives to provide forest biomass for heating. “Such collaborations give a lot of structure to a region,” she noted. Thiffault also challenged the idea that forest biomass must be carbon neutral to justify its use as a source of energy. “It doesn’t need to be carbon neutral, it just needs to be better than fossil fuels,” she maintained. In order to reap the economic and environmental benefits 5 to 10 years down the line, “Canada must “develop a bioenergy system that will contribute significantly to the energy mix.” The biofuel supply chain Olaf Schwab, Chief, Resource Economics and Bioenergy, Natural Resources Canada Schwab and his colleagues at National Resources Canada undertook an analysis of the biofuel supply chain. By using models to simulate locations of combined heat and power plants across the country, the group was able to identify 260 “pockets” in which bioenergy strategies could make a positive contribution. In aggregate, these strategies could prevent 429 megatonnes of CO2 from being released into the environment. Key messages from the analysis include:

Access to both feedstock and product off-take are critically important

Opportunities exist, but the use of harvest residues presents challenges

Under the right conditions, bioenergy can contribute significantly to greenhouse gas mitigation.

A role for wood pellets Uri Szyk, market manager, wood pellets, wood chips, logs, poles & ties, CN One of the better-developed items on the bioenergy menu, wood pellets represent a primary growth market in Europe, with production currently totalling 13 million pellets and consumption up to 20 million. “North America is very attractive to Europe because of its reliable supply chain and sustainability practices for forests,” Szyk noted, adding that “Canada has experience using forests and residue to produce pellets.” Specifically, CN moved 1.6 tonnes of pellets last year. When setting up a wood pellet mil, key elements to consider include fibre source, transportation to mill, and production sites. “Early on, people favoured sites close to the fibre source, but distance from ports where the product is shipped to end-users is also crucial,” he said. Other issues to consider as a player in this arena: Does the rail company have specialized equipment or will you have to procure your own? How much volume will you ship? Which port will you export from?

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Szyk shared best practices and lessons learned from his own experience in the wood pellet arena, namely:

Secure fibre source and financing early

Look at supply elements together; evaluate supply chain alternatives

Be ready to invest in transportation infrastructure

Collaborate with stakeholders. Update on Genera Chris Plamann, Genera Energy A privately held biomass supply company based in Vonore, Tennessee, Genera Energy can now produce 50,000 tonnes of biomass per year. Feedstocks can be broken down into energy crops and crop residues, Plamann said, explaining that “dedicated energy crops produce cleaner and better quality, with less debris and dirt.” Plamann identified yield and quality as key areas of risk in the supply chain. These risks are best addressed through integrated management, consistency reliability of supply, and continuous improvements to reduce cost, he said. Q&A highlights Presenters addressed audience questions in a panel discussion. Highlights appear below.

Q: How flexible is the supply chain and what are the opportunities to reduce costs? Thiffault: We have made great strides in feedstock quality and conversion processes, but the interface between the two still has much room for improvement. We need to ensure we target feedstocks that are suitable for efficient conversion. Schwab: On a global level, I would like see more emphasis on matching feedstock with applications. Szyk: I agree it’s all about the application. We need to determine to what extent customers are willing to pay for extra quality. Plamann: The need for quality may vary from application to application. The business opportunity lies in making improvements tailored to different applications. Q: Are you working on anything for improving quality at the front end in forestry? Thiffault: There’s research into the logistics of using machinery in forests, including details like how the operator piles the wood to maximize its value as feedstock. Schwabb: In the biofuels space, we have a mindset of starting with leftovers. But we also need to train machine operators to handle living processes so we have clean piles. The details matter. Szyk: I’ve noted a recent trend toward working in partnerships within the market, rather than in silos. For example, forests producing lumber are partnering with other companies to produce pellets. Such joint ventures will advance the quality and consistency of products to feed the biomass sector. Q: Any final thoughts on feedstock? Thiffault: We should be thinking of multipurpose feedstock.

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Schwab: We need to use creativity to ensure we have the right combinations to make the space as big as possible. Szyk: Decisions about feedstock type and production site impact the entire supply chain. Look at the supply chain as a whole. Learn from others and collaborate with stakeholders. Plamann: Kudos to Canada. It’s great to see the Canadian government give a push to this space.

Plenary session 3: A renewable fuels mandate for

Canada Andrea Kent, President, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association

Kent delivered an impassioned speech about the importance of the biofuel sector to Canadian

society. She described the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) mandate as

“promoting the use of renewable fuels through consumer awareness and government activities,”

adding that “our vision extends to making Canada a global leader in renewable fuels and

renewable fuel technology.”

Not to be discounted, according to Kent, is the “public-facing” aspect of the mandate. “In this age

of social media, hash tags, and live video streaming, it’s our job to ensure we don’t get lost in all

the noise,” she said. How to get heard above the background clamour? “The more complex the

issue, the simpler the message needs to be. Above all, we need to educate the public with credible

information.”

Kent reported on a 2015 CRFA public opinion survey titled “Renewable fuels: a success for

governments.” Top-line results include:

Climate change is the second-biggest fear among Canadians

Four out of five Canadians believe climate change is influenced by human activity

88% of Canadians would like to see more renewable fuel production in Canada and believe

government should do more to promote renewable fuels.

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Kent concluded by appealing to the audience to exert their influence on decision-makers. “Don’t be

shy about it,” she said. “You should be proud to speak about advanced biofuel technology and the

biofuels brand.”

Snapshots from the ABS 2015

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6. BREAKOUT SESSIONS

The Advanced Biofuels Symposium included 19 breakout sessions that dealt with more focused

aspects of BFN’s mandate, including reports from task forces dedicated to specific areas of biofuel

research, development and policy. High-level insights from these sessions appear below.

Task force: What’s delaying biojet?

Chair: Steve Csonka

Speakers: Steve Csonka, Fred Ghatala, Susan Van Dyk, Ted McDonald

With airlines actively working to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, the emerging

biojet fuel industry is poised for market penetration.

Barriers to commercialization include funding, quality, petroleum pricing, vacillating policies,

and apathy on the part of large producers of jet fuel.

Policy tools can broaden market access, reduce the biojet industry’s dependence on

economic competitiveness with fossil fuels, and reduce risk by enabling the creation of

financial instruments to promote development and uptake.

Task force: Opportunities and challenges in purpose-grown feedstock production

Chair: Dr. Narash Thevasathan

Speakers: Dr. Raju Soolanayakanahally, Derek Sidders, Steve Anthony, Nicolas Berthod

Willows represent close to a third of Canadian indigenous flora. Agriculture Canada’s

willow-breeding program produces superior genotypes from genetically diverse native

populations.

Willow is a multifunctional crop that can be used to enhance growth of other crops, such as

potatoes and cereals.

The Canadian Wood Fibre Centre promotes afforestation practices that optimize yield,

quality and value of biomass products.

Formation of a fibre-rich “G-layer” increases wood tension and wood cellulose density.

Pyrolysis: A technological platform for biorefineries

Chair: Dr. Nicolas Abatzoglou

Speakers: Peter Fransham, Dr. Fernando Preto, Sonil Nanda, James Aluha, Stefano Tacchino,

Clement Villemont

CANMET Energy Ottawa (CE-O), in partnership with FPInnovations and industrial partners,

has been working to develop applications of fast pyrolysis technology to produce higher-

value green products from biomass residues; if successful, this strategy would enable

Canadian forest sector companies to diversity and partner with the chemical and energy

industries.

Low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is one of the targeted technologies for

the production of biofuels from renewable resources.

Plasma technology for catalyst synthesis may become a major driving force towards

process efficiency.

Fractionated bio-oils from forest biomass offer economically promising possibilities for

integrating bio-oil into bitumen and asphalts.

Task force: Policy beyond mandates: growing Canada’s advanced biofuels sector

Chair: Dr. Warren Mabee

Speakers: Dr. Fred Pries, Derek Wolf, Marie-Hélène Labrie

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Policies for advanced biofuels in Canada are very limited compared to US and EU;

Enerkem is pushing for the federal government to exempt advanced biofuels from the

$0.10/L excise tax.

Policies were not permanent in the conventional sector and need not be permanent in the

bioenergy sector; they simply need to jump-start the industry.

We need to look at policies within a system, rather than within a sector or within a

technology.

Research has shown that companies perceive policy risks as most important, followed by

technology risks, management issues, and uncertain profitability. Public opposition is not

generally perceived as an important risk.

An E20/30 mix could be the “sweet spot” that blends high energy content with a good ratio

of traditional to renewable fuels.

Forest residues may fit well into the small-scale heat market.

Biomass could be an interesting opportunity for rural, off-grid systems; remote Canadian

communities represent an interesting opportunity in this regard.

Task force: Aviation biofuels roundtable discussion

Chair: Dr. Murray Thomson

With recent funding from the GARDN initiative, the task force can help promote the

production of neat biojet fuel, which airlines will ideally combine with their current jet fuel

supply; BFN needs to carefully consider whether to partner with a test-site airport or play a

more arm’s-length role in the biojet fuel strategy.

Canada should consider collaborating with the U.S. military (e.g., “green fleet”) to advance

the use of biojet fuel in the Canadian military.

Biojet fuel applications can help Canadian farmers diversify their portfolios. Carinata and

camelina oil can be produced with a minimal impact on land use.

Researchers need to cast a wider net in the study and selection of potential feedstocks for

biojet fuel; at the same time, crop fuels are likely the most economically viable feedstocks

and should be prioritized.

Government policy can help advance – or hold back – investment into biojet fuels; further

projects on utilization can also help push the agenda forward.

Accelerating the ASTM certification process should be a priority.

Task force: Forest biomass-based biofuels and coproducts

Chair: Dr. Michel Perrier

Speakers: Tom Browne, Dr. Regis Benech, Dr. Olumoye Ajao, Peter Milley, Dawit Beyene

The future biorefinery will have revenues from two sources: low-value residues for internal

use in P&P mills, and paper products produced mainly for use as commodities.

“The main problem in this field is that researchers at different points of the value chain – feedstock, conversion, utilization – work separately. BFN helps break down these silos and gives us a connection with industry partners so we get that reality check about our work.

Yashar Afarin, project manager, BFN aviation task force

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There is an opportunity to connect the P&P and plastics industry, which currently operate in

separate silos.

Biogas is cleaner than solid fuels and should thus be privileged.

Manufacture of lignin (used in plywood) is an especially good use of forest biomass.

Wood pulp feedstock can be used to produce nanocrystals with potential applications in

foaming, packaging, paints, and adhesives.

Fundamentals of biological conversion

Chair: Dr. Jack Saddler

Speakers: Dr. Richard Chandra, Dr. Jinguang Hu, Kong Win Chang James, Dr. Mehdi Dashtban,

Shafiqur Rahman

Converting woody biomass into a liquid fuel involves several steps including pretreatment,

hydrolysis and fermentation.

The pretreatment step “opens up” the biomass structure for hydrolysis into sugars that can

be fermented to produce fuels or chemical/material precursors.

Newsprint production facilities that have ceased operations could be converted to

pretreatment mills.

Life cycle assessment for the Canadian biofuels sector

Chair: Dr. Joann Whalen

Speakers: Dr. Kiara Winans, Dr. Michael Martin, Albert Obnamia, Annie Levasseur

Life cycle analysis (LCA) can help assess and measure the contribution of feedstock,

conversion processes, and end products to the viability of renewable fuels.

LCA modelling software such as GHGenius and GREET may produce widely divergent

predictions because the models use different input chemicals, product yields, and energy

yields for the same fuel system.

The “consequential LCA” takes indirect impacts, such as indirect land use change (ILUC)

emissions, into account.

Biofuels from forest to market: networking & brainstorming activity

Chair: Dr. Michel Perrier

Speakers: Evelyne Thiffault, Dr. Jack Saddler, Dr. Richard Chandra, Dr. Joann Whalen, Dr. Robert

Legros, Dr. Louis Fradette

Bioenergy represents an opportunity to optimize use of wood fibre; potential synergies with

conventional industry should be considered.

Poor-quality raw materials (trees) should not be excluded from consideration.

Within the bioconversion process, the pretreatment step is the most expensive.

Pyrolysis appears to be a practical and sustainable biorefinery platform.

Cost and availability of key feedstocks for Canadian biofuels

Chair: Dr. Warren Mabee

Speakers: Mohamed Laila, Dr. Saeed Ghafghazi, Dr. Mahmood Ebadian, Dr. Tasseda

Boukherroub, Dr. Shahab Sokhansanj

Untapped opportunities for creating bioenergy from low-grade wood exist in Canada.

A CFS-FBM model can predict the availability of forest fibre under different climate change

scenarios and model the movement of fibre across the value chain.

Areas of highest production do not necessarily align with areas where the most residues

are available.

All models are incorrect, but some are useful.

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Advances in gasification in Canada

Chair: Dr. Jean-Michel Lavoie

Speakers: Dr. Jasmin Blanchard, Dr. Ingrid Zamboni, Philip Boahene, Khalid Ouakarame,

Mohammad Shahed Hasan Khan, Motafa Chamoumi

Dry reforming of methane represents an environmentally friendly option for producing

syngas.

A water gasification process has been successfully used to produce biorenewable

hydrogen; optimization of catalysts and temperature can significantly increase the yield.

Current trends in emerging advanced biofuel technologies

Chair: Dr. David Bressler

Speakers: Dr. Brad Saville, Don O’Connor, Jeff Passmore

Renewable alkanes have been gaining prominence due to the growth in diesel and jet fuel

consumption.

We need to pay close attention to feedstocks in a world dictated by carbon metrics; used

cooking oils have a favourable greenhouse gas (GHG) profile, but are not available in

sufficient quantities.

The carbon taxes implemented in B.C. have not benefited the biofuel industry because the

tax burden is largely borne by consumers.

The conventional ethanol industry is strong, but the biodiesel industry relies heavily on

subsidies in Canada.

Task force: Lignocellulosic feedstock processing

Chair: Dr. Mark Lefsrud

Speakers: Dr. Julie Barrette, Dr. Daniel Hayes, Jamie Minaret, SM Hassan Shahrukh

Salvaged trees from boreal forests may help fuel the forestry and bioenergy sectors.

Lignocellulosic biomass can serve as feedstock for the production of a solid fuel via

hydrothermal carbonization.

Steam pretreatment may be a techno-economically effective way to increase the energy

density of pellets produced from wood, straw, and/or switchgrass.

Fuel-flexible gas turbine engines for power generation using bioderived gaseous fuels

Chair: Dr. Jeffrey Bergthorson

Speakers: Dr. Jeffrey Bergthorson, Gilles Borque, Wajid Chishty, Sandeep Jella, Adam Steinberg

Fuel composition affects many parameters, including reactivity and emissions, which need

to be understood.

Models for fuel variability still have room for improvement; it is important to validate models

with real-world experiments.

Broad fuel flexibility is challenging to design as slight changes can have catastrophic

effects.

Assessing new pathways for Canadian biofuels

Chair: Dr. Warren Mabee

Speakers: Dr. Jamie Stephen, Dr. Massimo Collotta, Dr. Julian Cleary, Hajar Pourbafrani

A field site in the Haliburton forest is testing production of biochar, which can be used to

increase the growth rate of certain trees. The pyrolysis process used at the site also yields

bio-oil and syngas. The eventual profitability of the operation remains in question.

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In the Kinston area, CO2 from a cement plant and nutrients from a water treatment plant

are being used to produce microalgae, with the ultimate aim of dedicating a production

plant to this process.

Environmental performance improvement in the oil sands represents a major opportunity in

Canada; reducing the carbon intensity of the process could help open up international

markets opposed to the ‘dirty’ oil from the oil sands.

Task force: Integrated thermal biorefinery 1

Chair: Dr. Jean-Michel Lavoie

Speakers: Marie-Hélène Labrie, Peter Fransham, Tim Haig

Finding alternatives to incineration and municipal waste dumps counts among Enerkem’s

key mandates. The company has been working on waste treatment with the city of

Edmonton for 25 years and is now looking for opportunities abroad, such as China.

Abritech Inc. has developed successful pyrolysis technologies to produce bio-oil. Protection

of intellectual property represents a significant challenge in commercializing operations.

Forge Inc. uses lipid distillation technology to produce biofuel products, which may be

integrated into conventional fuels as “drop-in” fuels.

Task force: The potential of integrated biological-based biorefineries 1

Chair: Dr. Jack Saddler

Speakers: Dr. Richard Chandra, Dr. Michael Chae, Dr. Harry Brumer, Dr. Perry Chou, Dr. Mario

Jolicoeur, Dr. Hung Lee, Dr. Vincent Martin, Dr. Lars Rehmann

Biological-based conversion is the only commercialized biofuel technology.

Biomass can be converted to a pulp substrate through enzymatic hydrolysis, using the

same technology employed in traditional newsprint production.

An integrated biological biorefinery makes it possible to obtain and convert cheap sugar

from biomass into various biomaterials, including precursors of jet fuels and plastics

traditionally obtained from fossil fuel resources.

Task force: Integrated thermal biorefinery 2

Chair: Dr. Jean-Michel Lavoie

Speakers: Dr. Mark Lefsrud, Nicolas Abatzoglou, Jeffrey Bergthorson, Xiaotao Bi, Richard Jewell

This task force seeks to facilitate vertical integration between biomass producers,

conversion technologies, utilization, and SEES (social, economic, and environmental

sustainability).

Pyrolysis can be a techno-economical biorefinery platform or platform component; task

force members are investigating a variety of enhancements to the pyrolysis process.

Biomass producers must partner with engine manufacturers.

Engine manufacturers tend to prefer pure hydrocarbon drop-in fuels.

Task force: The potential of integrated biological-based biorefineries 2

Chair: Dr. Jack Saddler

Speakers: Dr. Scott Stanners, Ziyad Rahme, Dan Charron, Dr. Shahab Sokhansanj

Iogen Corporation has scaled up production of cellulosic ethanol at the Costa Pinto refinery

in Brazil.

Fortress Paper is focusing on dissolving pulp production at their specialty cellulose mill, a

facility that includes cogeneration of electricity as a value-added product.

Research suggests that wood pellets have potential as feedstock for ethanol production.

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7. CLOSING REMARKS

BFN Scientific Director Dr. Donald Smith described the symposium as the Network’s most

successful event of its kind, with over 300 attendees including numerous first-time visitors.

He reviewed key milestones in BFN’s Phase I of operation:

Training of 300 HQPs

500 publications

150 partner organizations

62 international connections

Development of highly popular advanced biofuels course

Network of investors

Strong communication platform

BFN’s overarching mandate for Phase II is to concentrate on fewer and larger projects and to

ensure alignment between government and industry. To this end, BFN has created task forces to

oversee different aspects of the value chain. “The task forces appear to have the appropriate

architecture for creating value,” Dr. Smith said.

In Canada, Networks of Centres of Excellence are typically funded in three-to-five-year cycles. Dr.

Smith reported that the application process for funding support in the 2017-2022 cycle has begun,

with a decision expected in late 2016. “We believe we can demonstrate the value added by having

a larger network overseeing the industry.”

“The conversations I’ve had at BFN events have given me a sense of how other researchers might use my work, and vice versa.

Simmerjeet Kaur, ABS 2015 participant

“Many other countries have the equivalent of BFN, but the emphasis on training the new generation is unique to BFN.

Abhishek Raj, ABS 2015 participant

“Some of the people I’ve met at BFN meetings have become research collaborators.”

Valerie Orr, ABS 2015 participant